Batavia to charge for fingerprinting

BATAVIA – The city no longer will offer a free fingerprinting service because of the increasing demand.

Batavia aldermen Monday approved a fingerprinting policy and established a $30 fee for each individual. As part of the policy, fingerprinting services will be provided only to Batavia residents, those working within the city, or people participating in a program in Batavia that requires fingerprinting.

Batavia Police Chief Gary Schira suggested the city charge a $30 fingerprint fee, noting most cities charge between $5 to $35 for the service. The city’s actual cost to perform the service is about $23.51, he said.

The Batavia Police Department has seen an increase in fingerprint requests, Schira said.

From June 2011 to June 2012, the department fingerprinted 562 people, with the bulk for the Batavia Park District. Of the 309 attributed to the Batavia Park District, 209 were park district employees and summer and volunteer help. About 100 were for Batavia Youth Baseball coaches and volunteers.

Batavia City Administrator Bill McGrath said he thought $30 was a reasonable fee to charge to recoup the city’s out-of-pocket expenses.

“The fact that fingerprinting services are available in the private sector is certainly enough to ask that people without any real tie to Batavia go elsewhere for the service,” McGrath said in a memo to aldermen.